I wrote:

>>...  barring a few superb, mostly early forays (Money, Twist & Shout,
>>Dizzy Missy Lizzy), the Beatles were central to pop music but _very_
>>peripheral to rock n'roll, which went near dormant during their reign.
>>For that, in the 60s, we must look to others.

Deryk Barker replied:

>I tend to agree with you, although I think you understate the case to be made
>for them as rockers.  Revolution?

And Happy Birthday, bien sur ...plus 2 or 3 others, maybe.

>>Mind you, you did smell the rat of a put-down from a confirmed rock 'n
>>roller, and I wouldn't take issue.  That said, it's neither here nor there
>>if Townshend did cast a slur, as his distinction stands: "Love me Do,"
>>"Michelle," and "The Long & Winding Road" -- and most of what happened in
>>between -- are _not_ rock 'n roll.  While far better, I agree, than "Mrs.
>>Brown you've got an Ugly Daughter," and "Leaning on a Lamppost," they're of
>>the same ilk.
>
>Now here I can't agree.  (And BTW it's "Mrs. Brown you've got a *lovely*
>daughter"

Sorry: Nice song; just can't take it seriously.

>) MCartney did veer perislously close to music-hall IMHO with When I'm 64
>and dived in with both feet with Maxwell's Silver Hammer and Honey Pie, but
>much of the rest of their output is wonderfully rich music, worth listening
>to 3 1/2 decades after it was written.

I don't mind even the pub-singalong jingles ("'Enery the Aitff," etc.) I
too enjoy most of it, with remarkably few exceptions (Ticket to Ride is one
4 me) Great music indeed - good, fun, melodious, often exquisitely harmonic
stuff.  Even those hits by Herman's Hermints are all right.

It just isn't rocknroll!

But again:  will McCartney's extraordinary talents lend themselves to CM?
(etc.)

Bert Baitley